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21 August 2025

Nebraska Converts McCook Prison Into Cornhusker Clink ICE Center

Governor Jim Pillen’s abrupt announcement sparks debate as Nebraska becomes a regional hub for federal immigration detention under Trump’s expansion plan.

On August 19, 2025, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen stood before reporters and announced a move that would place the Cornhusker State at the center of the nation’s intensifying immigration debate: Nebraska will convert its minimum-security Work Ethic Camp in McCook into a federal immigration detention center, dubbed the "Cornhusker Clink." This decision, part of a broader surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) infrastructure under the Trump administration, has prompted both praise and protest across the state and beyond.

The announcement sent shockwaves through Nebraska’s political circles. According to the Latin Times, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the new facility will provide up to 280 beds for ICE detainees—making Nebraska the third state, after Florida and Indiana, to operate a dedicated ICE detention center. The McCook facility, previously a men’s work-release prison housing 186 to 200 inmates, is set to expand its capacity to 300 beds as part of the conversion. State prisoners currently assigned there will be relocated elsewhere in the correctional system.

The funding for this expansion comes from the Trump administration’s recently enacted "One Big Beautiful Bill," which earmarked resources for 80,000 new ICE detention beds nationwide. The bill also bolstered the controversial 287(g) program, allowing state and local law enforcement agencies to partner directly with ICE. As outlined in Border Report, this partnership enables local authorities to "identify and process removable aliens with pending or active criminal charges," dramatically increasing the role of states in federal immigration enforcement.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem expressed gratitude for Nebraska’s involvement, stating in an official release, "Thanks to Governor Pillen for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country. If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska's Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App." Noem’s comments underscore the administration’s aggressive messaging around the new detention centers, which also include Florida’s "Alligator Alcatraz," Indiana’s "Speedway Slammer," and a rapidly expanding site at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Governor Pillen, for his part, framed the move as a matter of public safety and civic duty. "I am pleased that our facility and team in McCook can be tasked with helping our federal partners protect our homeland by housing criminal illegal aliens roaming our country’s communities today," Pillen said in the DHS press release. He added during the August 19 news conference, "These are things that came about very, very, very quickly. We actually reached out and asked our federal partners to take a breath, slow-play it a little bit. We did not know this could become a reality—a significant reality—until Friday afternoon."

Despite the suddenness of the rollout, Pillen later acknowledged that discussions with DHS had been ongoing for some time. The turning point, he said, came on August 15, when a DHS field agent visited McCook and declared, "this is going to work." The governor expects to enter a 365-day agreement with federal authorities, likely to remain in effect as long as President Donald Trump is in office. "I’m not into speculation," Pillen told reporters, adding that the future of the facility would depend on the evolving political landscape.

As the news rippled outward, reactions from Nebraska’s political establishment ranged from cautious support to outright surprise. Representative Mike Flood remarked that the "proposed facility appears to support" the Trump administration’s border agenda and anticipated more details would emerge. Senator Deb Fischer echoed that sentiment, while Senator George Dungan III expressed deep concern about the lack of legislative consultation, telling KETV, "My first thought is that I’m incredibly concerned. These kind of decisions being made quickly and seemingly without any consultation with the legislature … at this point I don’t think a lot of people know exactly what this is going to look like."

Economic arguments also surfaced. Senator Pete Ricketts, Nebraska’s former governor, called the McCook site a "great fit for ICE’s needs," predicting that the development would bring economic investment to the region. Pillen himself pointed to "capitalistic opportunity" for local businesses, especially with the nearby Ben Nelson Regional Airport potentially facilitating deportations. "There will be a capitalistic opportunity for fuel … it’s too early to tell you how many [will be flown] in and out, but certainly the attractiveness was the facility and, obviously, being a couple miles from the airport," Pillen noted.

Logistical preparations are already underway. The existing Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) staff at McCook will be retained but provided with higher-level training, and the facility will likely see additional security upgrades. About 20 Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers will provide administrative and logistical support to ICE officials, while the Nebraska State Patrol has agreed to assist in arresting criminal immigrants. According to Border Report, this mirrors similar arrangements in Indiana and Florida, where state resources are being leveraged to support federal immigration enforcement.

Yet the plan is not without controversy. The transformation of the McCook facility has sparked protests among Nebraska residents, some of whom fear the new center could resemble a "concentration camp." One protester, quoted by JURIST, pleaded, "We are not criminals. We’re people like these are people that you are putting in, like, these ethnic camps." State Senator Megan Hunt criticized the lack of transparency, citing unanswered records requests and warning that the process has left community members in the dark.

Governor Pillen has defended the initiative by citing concerns about drug trafficking and youth crime in Nebraska. "[Fentanyl] is in all 93 counties," he said. "We have risked our kids, it’s incredibly important that we go after the cartels. It is a gigantic piece of the equation. We’re simply doing our part to get these people off of our streets, get them out of our communities, and get them the heck out of here." He clarified, however, that the minimum-security McCook facility will not house detainees with known affiliations to transnational criminal organizations. Instead, it will hold individuals apprehended by ICE who entered the United States within the past four years and are linked to "criminalized activity"—primarily drug and sex trafficking offenses. "Lots of it has to do with drugs," Pillen said. "Lots of it has to do with drugs and sex trafficking."

The expansion comes at a time when Nebraska’s prison system is already under strain. Earlier in 2025, NDCS Director Rob Jeffreys told the legislature that the state’s prison population was operating at more than 140 percent capacity, with multiple deaths attributed to overcrowding and housing practices. The conversion of McCook’s beds from state prisoners to ICE detainees is seen by some as a pragmatic solution to both federal and state-level pressures.

Whether the "Cornhusker Clink" ultimately fulfills its promise of enhancing security or deepens community divisions remains to be seen. For now, Nebraska finds itself on the front lines of a rapidly evolving national policy, grappling with the realities and repercussions of a new era in immigration enforcement.